Gulf Coast Jaguarundi[1] | |
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Conservation status | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Mammalia |
Order: | Carnivora |
Family: | Felidae |
Genus: | Puma |
Species: | P. yagouaroundi |
Subspecies: | P. y. cacomitli |
Trinomial name | |
Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli (Berlandier, 1859) |
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Synonyms | |
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The Gulf Coast Jaguarundi (Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli) is a subspecies of Jaguarundi that ranges from southern Texas in the United States south to Veracruz and San Luis Potosí in eastern Mexico.[3] This cat looks like a large weasel or otter with a coat in one one three color phases: black, reddish-brown or brownish-gray.[4] Darker varieties tend to be found in darker places, like forests, than those who are lighter in hue, which prefer more open areas.[5].
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The Gulf Coast Jaguarundi can be found in the Western Gulf coastal grasslands, Tamaulipan mezquital, and Tamaulipan matorral.[6] Its preferred habitat are regions of dense, thorny scrub, especially near water,[3] composed of plants such as Spiny Hackberry (Celtis pallida), Brazilian Bluewood (Condalia hookeri), Desert Yaupon (Schaefferia cuneifolia), Berlandier's Wolfberry (Lycium berlandieri), Lotebush (Ziziphus obtusifolia), Texas Goatbush (Castela texana), Whitebrush (Aloysia gratissima), Catclaw Acacia (Acacia greggii), Blackbrush Acacia (Acacia rigidula), Velvetleaf Lantana (Lantana velutina), Texas Lignum-vitae (Guaiacum angustifolium), Cenizo (Leucophyllum frutescens), Elbowbush (Forestiera angustifolia), and Texas Persimmon (Diospyros texana).[4]
Recently, it has been suggested by some environmentalists that the Jaguarundi, and many other fauna unique to Southern Texas, will be severely threatened if a proposed 16 foot wall is constructed along segments of the Mexico–United States border.[7]
Media related to [//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Puma_yagouaroundi_cacomitli Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli] at Wikimedia Commons Data related to Puma yagouaroundi cacomitli at Wikispecies